At the same time you are reading this column I am having a ball leading 40 people on a fun tour of the Southwest. We left Monday morning for a week of seeing amazing sites, riding a train, two different boat rides and a National Park. I love taking people to places they might never see and to do things they might never do on their own.

When I was younger I thought that escorted tours were for seniors but I took my first escorted tour when I was 35 and absolutely loved it. I went to Israel and saw so much and learned so much from the guide. An experienced guide can make all of the difference. They make sure everything runs smoothly and you don’t miss a site. If you are in a foreign language country it is great to have someone to lead you around and to tell you what you are ordering off the menu for dinner!

I would never go to Israel or many other places without going on a tour. The experience is enhanced by all the details they share with you and the stories they relate. I know I would have missed half of the sites and would have been frustrated driving the unfamiliar streets. I can’t imagine trying to find parking places at all the sites and in the cities.

Fast forward a few years and I now lead my own tours taking care of all those details so the trip flows smoothly for my loyal travelers. In September we rode the Grand Canyon Railways and visited Sedona with a wonderful group of people! The entire trip was amazing and even though I was constantly on the run it was fun for me too.

As I said, this week I am leading a bus tour to Lake Powell for a three hour boat ride, Monument Valley for lunch, Durango Colorado to ride the rustic steam train to Silverton, to Mesa Verde National Park, to Moab for a boat ride on the Colorado River and Dutch oven dinner, and finishing with the incredible view at Dead Horse Point State Park. I am excited to share these fantastic experiences with great people that sometimes even laugh at my jokes.

Preparing for the trip is a lot of work planning the routing, the hotels, meals, activities and then you pray for good weather. When I see the faces of the group light up while seeing something new it makes it all worth it. By the end of the tour we are all friends talking about the next exciting tour. It is amazing the relationships that can develop in such a short time.

Whether I am taking a tour or leading a tour I come back with wonderful memories, new friends and the desire to do it all over again.

Travel Tip: Morris Murdock Travel has many tours that are escorted by local experienced guides from Utah which enhances your experience.